Why Japanese Manga Is Outselling American Comic Books in the West

Japanese manga is selling incredibly well in the West, and it seems American comics can't keep up even on their home turf.

May 14 (CBR) - For Western graphic novel and comic fans, especially in the United States, there are now two major factions competing on the market: Western comics, such as Marvel and DC, and the vast world of Japanese manga.

Every consumer has their own preferences, and there may be no single right answer, but manga does have some undeniable advantages over comics.

Even in the West, where comics are highly mainstream and have been around for decades, manga has started to outsell the former, and there are clear reasons why. Even with action figures and the MCU around to bolster consumers' interest, American comics compare poorly to manga in some key areas, from their common perception to simple price.

American comics may seem cheap, being just a few dollars per issue, but a typical manga volume may have around 160-180 pages and usually costs $10-12 -- an excellent ratio for any consumer. Even if those pages are black and white as opposed to richly colored Marvel and DC comics, that sheer value is tough to beat. ...continue reading

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